Married to the world.
The world infiltrated the church. Mixed doctrines.

4.

Thyatira

Continual sacrifice.
Ungodly doctrines mixed in.

5.

Sardis

The "dead"
church. Few not defiled. The Reformation.

7.

Laodicea

Church of lukewarmness—spewed
out.

It is
interesting to note, the first church age was the third best.

Things
got even better in the second church under great persecutions.

Then the
spiritual decline of the church began as deception set in. The third church
was worse.

The fourth
continued to get worse.

The fifth
church was dead.

Finally,
the last church was the worst of all. The best church age of all (# 6)
was followed by the worst (# 7).

3-OVERVIEW
OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES, CHRONOLOGICALLY

Church 1, Ephesus Apostolic, desirable.
They left their first love.
Church 2, Smyrna Church of martyrdom, persecution, and poverty
Church 3, Pergamos Married to the world. The world infiltrated the church.
Mixed doctrines.
In the above three: the flesh, the devil, and the world are covered.
Church 4, Thyatira Continual sacrifice. Ungodly doctrines mixed in.
Church 5, Sardis The "dead" church. Few not defiled. The Reformation.
Church 6, Philadelphia Church of brotherly love.
Church 7, Laodicea Church of lukewarmness—spewed out.

The
doctrines of the fourth, fifth, and sixth churches are present with us today
in this last Laodicean church age. As a result, we see, in various forms, references
made to the coming of Jesus in each of these.